Do you remember the American way? Americans were tough, calloused ranch hands, hard-working farmers and no-nonsense cowboys who lived off of the land. In 2009, however, more and more Americans are living off of grease. Our once-fit, slim and energetic country seems to now be dominated by high-fat foods, laziness and an increasingly sedentary lifestyle. Who is to blame for the tragic downfall throughout the generations? Do we pin it on the fast food chains, for serving their artery clogging specialties? Can we blame electronic manufacturers, for developing such technologies and conveniences that lead to lack of exercise and more time sitting on the couch? Or do we blame ourselves, as a nation, for allowing our children to simply eat, sleep and watch television?

The facts on American obesity are simple and obvious. You don’t need to be a mathematician to know that people are getter bigger and lazier. According to a Golden Gate Press study, it is projected that as of 2008, over 73 percent of American adults were either overweight or obese. American Sports Data Inc. estimates that between the years 1962 and the year 2000, the number of obese Americans rose from 13 percent to 31 percent. It is clear that there is an upward trend in the country of consuming fatty foods, and a downward trend of exercise. The cause of these trends stem from a great number of things making the war on fatty foods a difficult and seemingly futile one.

What does the government have in their arsenal to fight the Big Mac cheeseburger? How do the nameless, faceless politicians and lawmakers control a vice that is also a basic human need? Can certain foods be restricted from consummation? Fighting against obesity is a tough job, near impossible. The government can try taxing the food, of course. Limiting the sale of certain substances or food additives is also a possibility. The suggestion to remove snack machines from schools and make the lunch menu’s healthier is reasonable as well, but the lasting effects of these actions is arguable.

The simple fact is we, as a nation, have become a people comfortable and adapted to a fat, lazy lifestyle. Our population is used to doing as little as possible at home, and then going out to get some KFC for dinner. Out bodies and minds are so used to our way of life that cutting back on the sale of products would just irritate people, and make them search for new ways to get their fix. People in our country are always going to do what we want. We’re about our rights and what we’re entitled to. And unfortunately, the majority of the country feels like they’re entitled to whatever they feel like eating, regardless of adverse health affects. This fact will make it almost impossible for any laws restricting fatty-food sales to go through, or even be obeyed. Even the politicians and the lawmakers themselves pick up a few pizzas on their way home. It is our developed and established nature as Americans, it is our lifestyle as a people, and that’s going to be a terrible difficult thing to ever change.